Ganache truffles help please

i just made some ganache truffles according to some kind lady who put recipe on, that is cream and melted chocolate. Cooled it and beat it till thick, but its still soft, how are you suppose to roll them into balls while its still soft, even after having in the fridge, its soft.
Are ganache supposed to be dipped in chocolate and not just rolled in hail or whatever. Just wondering what im suppose to do with these soft little balls lol.

Ganache truffles need to be made with 70% cocoa solids or more - the higher to percentage, the better setting ability.Once cold, you should be able to scoop and roll them without much problem.If they don't get harder, I'd melt some more chocolate and add it to the mix - you could slightly warm up the original mix to help it combine.I think ganache balls are generally rolled in somethinglike cocoa, although dipping them in chocolate would help keep them firm when out of the fridge.

ok many thanks, i used the 200g chocolate chips that the recipe called for, so just reheat and add some chocolate, then do you beat till very thick and let it get hardish to scoop out?
thanks have made other truffles, but thought id give this a try,
Going to make the peanut butter ones as well tomorrow.

Oh and so when you melt the chocolate and cream, then you set aside to cool, then do you beat, how do i know how much to beat it for. thanks, sorry if i sound dum lol

or maybe i should just dunk them in chocolate tomorrow, lol.

You shouldn't need to beat the mix unless you want it lighter.When you roll it into balls it'll compress anyway so I don't really see the purpose - although someone may enlighten me.

Chocolate chips do not have a high enough cocoa solid content.Try Pam's cooking chocolate - its about 60% (higher than cadbury) or Whittakers dark ghana - it shows percentage on front - also Lindt do a nice dark chocolate.Yours will probably be sweet enough but if I am using dark chocolate I tend to pop in some icing sugar to sweeten a bit.

I'd soften the chocolate in the microwave, then slightly heat up your original mix and then combine the two.To soften in microwave, just heat for 30 secs at a time and stir.The chocolate retains its shape until it is stirred - don't overheat.

The peanut butter ones are great - do soften the butter first though.Don't freeze them for too long before dipping in chocolate as the chocolate cracks once set (guess how I know that!) with the contraction.

Good luck and happy cooking.I am so over dipping truffles.

thankyou gardie, thats so interesting, i didnt even know that you had to have a high cocoa content for ganache, thank you.
So if i was to make another batch, i melt the cream and chocolate for how long, till just melted or till it thickens or till when. And then dont beat, just put aside to cool or what. Please can you tell me how to do the whole thing, so i can give it another go tomorrow, and then i will also try and repair the others tomorrow. thanks in advance gardie

Sorry, you don't need a higher cocoa content for ganache but it is really important not to overheat the mixture - however, higher cocoa solid chocolate has a slightly higher heat tolerance (about 2 degrees C) than milk and white chocolate. (though the chocolate gardie suggest will definitely taste yummier!)

To make another batch, bring the cream just to the boil - take it off the heat as soon as it starts to bubble (best to do this on the stove as the heating is more even and you have more control). Add the chocolate and when it's about half-melted transfer everything into a bowl so the pot doesn't continue to heat the mixture. Ganache behaves better if it's not stirred too vigorously (you don't really want bubbles in it), so be gentle - and if the chocolate doesn't quite melt you can briefly hold the pot over simmering water to heat a little more, but I haven't found I've needed to do this.

I made ganache for years before I learnt this stuff (it has to do with the molecular structure of the chocolate, which breaks down at a certain temperature), and sometimes it was fine and sometimes it just never set. You can get lucky if you're not careful but if you want the peace of mind that it will work I recommend this method.

I'm not sure if you'd be able to make the ganache you already made into truffles - if it was me I'd put it in a jar in the fridge and warm it up to have over ice-cream sometime when you're feeling extravagent, but you might be able to make some fruity truffles by adding fruit and some coconut to thicken it up.

I hope this helps - sorry it's a bit of a science lesson, it's not that hard but knowing a little background info helps (I think). :-)

Good luck!

can I ask is it a 50 50 mix of cream and chocolate is that all? sounds lovely

Interesting rosathemad.Will keep that in mind.Hyborn - yes a 50/50 mix (300ml - 300g) should work fine although I have better success with a good quality chocolate.After a couple of failures, I now only use the good stuff - Pams cooking chocolate is fine - not too expensive, but Lindt - now that's worth it for something special.

I do think we need a science in cooking thread - like Elton Brown's TV shop when he shows you not only ow, but why also.I'm no chef, merely a cook so I only do what works, I don't always know why.

The proportions can vary depending on your recipe - both what you're using the ganache for (e.g truffle, icing, glaze, sauce) and if you're adding anything else to it, but my truffle ratio would be 50ml cream to 110g chocolate (multiply it up if you need more truffles). :-)

thanks might give it a go! am sure I need more truffles made.what do you normally roll them in? and do they keep well (would you keep in mind the cream date)

hi hyborn, i have rolled mine in cocoa. apparently thats what they normally do with ganache.

They keep for a couple of weeks - longer than the cream would on its own. You can roll them in cocoa, or anything powdery you like, or nuts, or coconut, flaked chocolate, or even dip them in chocolate (though this is tricky as the ganache is obviously quite heat sensitive, so the chocolate needs not to be too hot, the rolled truffles need to be chilled and you need to work quickly). Pretty much whatever you think tastes good. :-)

well I have the mixture cooling now - on the bench - can you put it in the fridge to cool? will roll in coconut I think

could i put essence in the mixture, like peppermint essence??

also just normal cream? Is that what they mean by full cream?

yes normal cream and yes in fridge

Ganache truffles need to be made with 70% cocoa solids or more - the higher to percentage, the better setting ability.Once cold, you should be able to scoop and roll them without much problem.If they don't get harder, I'd melt some more chocolate and add it to the mix - you could slightly warm up the original mix to help it combine.I think ganache balls are generally rolled in somethinglike cocoa, although dipping them in chocolate would help keep them firm when out of the fridge.

ok many thanks, i used the 200g chocolate chips that the recipe called for, so just reheat and add some chocolate, then do you beat till very thick and let it get hardish to scoop out!
thanks have made other truffles, but thought id give this a try,
Going to make the peanut butter ones as well tomorrow.

You shouldn't need to beat the mix unless you want it lighter.When you roll it into balls it'll compress anyway so I don't really see the purpose - although someone may enlighten me.

Chocolate chips do not have a high enough cocoa solid content.Try Pam's cooking chocolate - its about 60% (higher than cadbury) or Whittakers dark ghana - it shows percentage on front - also Lindt do a nice dark chocolate.Yours will probably be sweet enough but if I am using dark chocolate I tend to pop in some icing sugar to sweeten a bit.

I'd soften the chocolate in the microwave, then slightly heat up your original mix and then combine the two.To soften in microwave, just heat for 30 secs at a time and stir.The chocolate retains its shape until it is stirred - don't overheat.

The peanut butter ones are great - do soften the butter first though.Don't freeze them for too long before dipping in chocolate as the chocolate cracks once set (guess how I know that!) with the contraction.

Good luck and happy cooking.I am so over dipping truffles.

Sorry, you don't need a higher cocoa content for ganache but it is really important not to overheat the mixture - however, higher cocoa solid chocolate has a slightly higher heat tolerance (about 2 degrees C) than milk and white chocolate. (though the chocolate gardie suggest will definitely taste yummier!)

To make another batch, bring the cream just to the boil - take it off the heat as soon as it starts to bubble (best to do this on the stove as the heating is more even and you have more control). Add the chocolate and when it's about half-melted transfer everything into a bowl so the pot doesn't continue to heat the mixture. Ganache behaves better if it's not stirred too vigorously (you don't really want bubbles in it), so be gentle - and if the chocolate doesn't quite melt you can briefly hold the pot over simmering water to heat a little more, but I haven't found I've needed to do this.

I made ganache for years before I learnt this stuff (it has to do with the molecular structure of the chocolate, which breaks down at a certain temperature), and sometimes it was fine and sometimes it just never set. You can get lucky if you're not careful but if you want the peace of mind that it will work I recommend this method.

I'm not sure if you'd be able to make the ganache you already made into truffles - if it was me I'd put it in a jar in the fridge and warm it up to have over ice-cream sometime when you're feeling extravagent, but you might be able to make some fruity truffles by adding fruit and some coconut to thicken it up.

I hope this helps - sorry it's a bit of a science lesson, it's not that hard but knowing a little background info helps (I think). :-)

Good luck!

can I ask is it a 50 50 mix of cream and chocolate is that all! sounds lovely

Interesting rosathemad.Will keep that in mind.Hyborn - yes a 50/50 mix (300ml - 300g) should work fine although I have better success with a good quality chocolate.After a couple of failures, I now only use the good stuff - Pams cooking chocolate is fine - not too expensive, but Lindt - now that's worth it for something special.

I do think we need a science in cooking thread - like Elton Brown's TV shop when he shows you not only ow, but why also.I'm no chef, merely a cook so I only do what works, I don't always know why.

The proportions can vary depending on your recipe - both what you're using the ganache for (e.g truffle, icing, glaze, sauce) and if you're adding anything else to it, but my truffle ratio would be 50ml cream to 110g chocolate (multiply it up if you need more truffles). :-)

thanks might give it a go! am sure I need more truffles made.what do you normally roll them in! and do they keep well (would you keep in mind the cream date)

Ganache truffles help please

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